10 reasons to become a paid carer in 2018

Posted on 22/12/2017

There are plenty of care and support roles available in the
UK right now. With a growing population and an increasing life expectancy, there
are more adults and children living with disability, and older people with
age-related conditions, than ever before. We need good carers to help meet the
demand.

Whether you are considering taking a caring role with a local
provider, through an agency, setting up your own care business, working on a
self-employed basis or being employed by an individual service user, we look at
the top 10 reasons why a career in care could be the right move for you.

It’s a rewarding role

The work that you do will make a real difference to people’s
lives. You are there to help and support people with tasks they find difficult
and help them live as independent a life as possible. You are helping to give
value to a person’s life, and you can see the rewards of your hard work by
enabling people to live their life as fully as they are able.

You meet a wide
variety of people

If you like meeting people and hearing stories, then this is
a great role. You will meet people from all walks of life and with many
different experiences. This can be eye-opening and heart-warming. You will also
meet some caring and kind people within the care industry itself if you chose
to work as part of a team.

You can offer more
than just care

Your main role might be to look after a person’s care and
support needs, but you are often giving them so much more. Companionship is so
important, particularly for older people who may live alone, and your kindness
and friendship could be a real bright spark in an otherwise routine day.

There are good career
prospects

No matter at what level you enter the care industry, there
is a lot of scope to progress. Good carers can opt to move in many different
directions, whether into more senior caring roles, into larger care providers
or into management.

You can work flexibly

With many care jobs, there is a degree of flexibility that enables
you to take on a care job that fits in with your life, which is handy if you
have family. You may only want a few hours a week, or more regular work, but
there is plenty of variety available.

There is job security

It’s an industry where more workers are needed and the
demand for carers is only going to continue to rise. This means that if you
decide this is the job for you, you will have good long-term prospects and job
security.

You can train and
expand your knowledge

There are plenty of care-based qualifications you can take
at all levels and you can train in specialist areas. You can start with a basic
care qualification and choose what further training you wish to do, helping to
forge your own career path.

You could run your
own business

You may decide to set up as a self-employed carer or start
your own care business to fill a gap in your local area. With personalisation
and more people receiving personal budgets to take on their own care services,
it’s a good, stable business area for a start-up.

You can work locally

Most care jobs are close to home as there is a nationwide
demand for carers. You shouldn’t have to travel too far to see your client,
which saves long commutes. You may have to travel between clients, but they are
usually within a certain locality.

You can start at any
age

Becoming a carer is a great job for those just leaving
school or graduating from a relevant degree, but it is equally a good option
for people returning to work after being at home with children, for example, or
workers who want a career change into something different. Compassion and
kindness counts for a lot, as does a willingness to learn on the job.